XBlades
We re-imagined an icon by innovating on the first in-molded cleated performance football and rugby boot. Propelling an original product into the future.
Project Information
Key Outcomes
Defined the product values.
Designed new footwear concepts.
Developed form and language of the product.
Design for Manufacturing (DFM).
Production support and oversight.
Overview
As XBlades grows and evolves, so too does its product. Virtuo was approached by the innovative company to re-imagine their iconic bladed boots from the ground up.
From this partnership, the XBlades Jet boots were designed for the modern game. This top-class footy boot creates a natural, foot-conforming fit with the boot moving like an extension of your body. Engineered for agility and power, XBlades are now able to bring technologies that are pushing the boundaries of innovation and allowing us all to pursue perfection.
Frame
In the 80s, XBlades designed the first in-moulded sprig stud for performance football and rugby boots. The design, so original, has become the platform for all boot sole designs. The very first adidas predator boot, hailed as the most advanced football boot, featured the novel X-blades footplate.
This story starts from humble beginnings. In 1989, David Miers first identified the connection between the football boots he was wearing and lower leg injuries. David set out to design a solution to the problem, and in doing so invented the revolutionary bladed sole, a true first of its kind, which would become a game-changer and the cornerstone of many performance boots since its inception.
XBlades approached us to help advance it’s famous bladed boot. This project set out to honor the past and re-imagine a modern contemporary cleated footplate and performance upper for elite athletes.
Our Approach
For any athlete, their connection with the ground is fundamentally important to their performance: speed, direction, lift, landing and perception (their sensory awareness of balance, position and relationship with ball and ball control). So we started from the ground up to re-imagine bladed boots.
After significant design and user research across all major ground and turf types, XBlades Jet was created. The XBlades jet was built for performance and advanced proprioception. Advances in the shoe include its Pedax switch-flex blade technology for pivot rotation, novel stud pattern configurations for efficient turf penetration, a zonally engineered upper and the all-inspired sprinter plate forefoot outsole for lasting support. As well as being packaged in a clean, refined aesthetic, the XBlade Jet boot ensures nothing is keeping you from giving it the max.
Outcome
A modern, fresh and innovative new performance boot was created for athletes across multiple codes. The original cleated sole philosophy remains central to the form and function with a visual language that speaks to this heritage and core irreplaceable foundation. Advancements in wide-lasting TPU outsoles, protective heel wedges and dual density outsoles ensure XBlades benefits from a series of new materials and technologies. Today, XBlades are worn by athletes all around the world, from Rugby League and Union, Touch, and AFL.
